Firefighters warn red flag warning could lead KNP Complex Fire to grow

SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. (FOX26) — The KNP Complex Fire is still burning out of control.

An infrared flight over the fire showed it’s now spread over 21,777 acres (34 square miles) and has not been contained at all, despite over 600 people working to handle the fire. The good news is, the fire didn’t grow much Saturday.

Lightning storms started the fire on September 10th in hard-to-reach areas deep within the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.

Air attack has been crucial in the fight against this fire, because the flames are so difficult to get to. Heavy smoke that's been grounding firefighters' aircraft cleared up a bit Saturday, which gave helicopters the opportunity to attack the portions of the flames firefighters haven’t been able to reach, including the southern area of the fire, near Three Rivers.

Earlier in the week, crews wrapped the bases of sequoia trees to protect them from any flames that may come near. The National Park Service says those protective barriers were successful.

Tulare County Fire and CAL Fire are working to cut containment lines with bulldozers, and to maintain the ones they've already made.

The NPS is also warning that anyone who lives in an area that’s under an evacuation warning should be ready to leave at a moment’s notice, since fire crews are preparing for significant increases in fire activity because of a red flag warning in the area.